Today's Paper
» NATIONAL
» KARNATAKA

‘Renukacharya is not efficient but his inclusion became inevitable’

It is only to thwart the game plan of the Congress and the JD(S), says Eshwarappa

‘I am pained to find that the affairs of the BJP have been dragged to the street’

SHIMOGA: Minister for Energy K.S. Eshwarappa said here on Monday that the Government would have come into a major trouble if M.P. Ranukacharya was not inducted in the Cabinet as he enjoyed the support of several dissident MLAs.

Talking to presspersons, he said, “I know Mr. Renukacharya is not efficient and cannot be indispensable to the Cabinet but his inclusion became inevitable under the circumstances mainly to thwart the game plan of the Janata Dal(S) and the Congress to destabilise the Government.”

A fact

He said that it was a fact that the Congress leaders tried to persuade Mr. Renukacharya to join their party in a bid to topple a democratically elected government. Mr. Eshwarappa said that “If Mr. Renukacharya had accepted the offer, it appears he would not have faced any opposition. The leaders of the Congress and the Janata Dal(S) seem to think that they alone could play politics. They should know that we also know politics to frustrate their game plan and the induction of Mr. Renukacharya is one instance to prove it.”

Expressing anguish over the recent developments in the State BJP unit, he said that the people who had blessed it in the recent elections would not excuse the Chief Minister, Ministers and the party MLAs if they did not correct themselves. “I am pained to find that the affairs of the BJP and its Government in Karnataka have been dragged to the street,” he said.

He said the BJP Government in the State was not formed out of “miracles” but it was possible because of the long and sustained, selfless and dedicated contribution of the party workers and leaders. “This alone made it possible for us to enjoy power. If any individual claims the credit for bringing the BJP to power, he is mistaken,” he said.

Mr. Eshwarappa said that the Ministers and the MLAs of the party should know that God would not excuse them if they continued their unseemly activities.

He said that the none-too-happy situation would not have arisen in the party if it had gained sufficient seats to form the Government on its own.

He questioned the propriety of some leaders in the party to play caste and community cards in an effort to fulfil personal ambitions.

Ridiculing the reported statement by the Janata Dal(S) president, H.D. Deve Gowda, that his party would support the candidature of Congress leader Siddaramaiah for the Chief Minister’s post, he asked, “Is it ever possible given that he had not extended support to B.S. Yeddyurappa for that post when he was supposed to do it.”

He said that the BJP Legislature Party meeting had been convened in Bangalore on Tuesday to discuss the steps to stem the rot in the party.